* Is it just me, or do all the new TV shows suck? NBC has already dropped the axe on “My Own Worst Enemy” and “Lipstick Jungle.” No one will miss them. And now the reboot of “Knight Rider” is being pulled for repairs. I’ve only caught part of this show, while I was running on the treadmill. I couldn’t hear anything, but I read the closed captioning. It looked irredeemably cheesy. Who’s programming this network? It’s like every series is the result of a dare.

Click on that story and you’ll read about how one U.S. soldier uses his beard as negotiating leverage, but has told the Afghans he works with that they will have to shave him if he gets injured or dies.

Also from the article: “Beards are a sign of manhood.” My impressive winter beard therefore makes me the manliest man in the entire newsroom.